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Sam Farmer on the NFL: How the draft might shape up

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And now a word from my colleagues.

To piece together my mock draft version 2.0, I simulated an actual draft by calling, in order, newspaper writers who cover the first-round teams on a daily basis.

There were some surprising results. Among them, center Maurkice Pouncey went earlier than I expected, USC’s Taylor Mays and Everson Griffen fell out of the first round, and Dez Bryant was the only receiver chosen.

Scribes, you are on the clock:

1. St. Louis — QB Sam Bradford, Oklahoma: (pick by Jim Thomas, St. Louis Post-Dispatch) “I think they’re doing everything but stitching his name on his jersey.”

2. Detroit — DT Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska: (Nick Cotsonika, Detroit Free Press) “Suh is the smart, multidimensional and productive player the Lions want.”

3. Tampa Bay — DT Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma: (Rick Stroud, St. Petersburg Times) “If McCoy or Suh is there, the Buccaneers will run to the commissioner with the card.”

4. Washington — T Russell Okung, Oklahoma State: (Rick Maese, Washington Post) “ Donovan McNabb will have someone to protect his blind side, a luxury Jason Campbell didn’t often have.”

5. Kansas City — S Eric Berry, Tennessee: (Adam Teicher, Kansas City Star) “It’s been close to 10 years since the Chiefs have had a playmaking safety in the secondary.”

6. Seattle — T Trent Williams, Oklahoma: (Danny O’Neil, Seattle Times) “His athleticism makes him a better fit than Iowa’s Bryan Bulaga for Alex Gibbs’ zone-blocking scheme.”

7. Cleveland — QB Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame: (Mary Kay Cabot, Cleveland Plain Dealer) “The Browns could try to trade the pick, draft Clausen and trade him, or draft him and keep him. They also like Colt McCoy.”

8. Oakland — T Bruce Campbell, Maryland: (Jerry McDonald, Oakland Tribune) “I think there’s a 50/50 shot they take Campbell, but they’d probably take Trent Williams over him.”

9. Buffalo — T Bryan Bulaga, Iowa: (Mark Gaughan, Buffalo News) “The left tackle position torpedoed the entire team last year. The Bills would be happy to get any of the top guys.”

10. Jacksonville — ILB Rolando McClain, Alabama: (Vito Stellino, Florida Times-Union) “The Jaguars are short on linebackers. Question is, is McClain better than the best defensive end on the board?”

11. Denver — C Maurkice Pouncey, Florida: (Lindsay Jones, Denver Post) “This is a bit high for a center, but the Broncos don’t have one. If they were to line up today, they’d have nobody to snap the ball.”

12. Miami — WR Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State: (Omar Kelly, South Florida Sun-Sentinel): “Dez Bryant is looking for a father figure, and I think Bill Parcells wouldn’t mind being one. The Dolphins need a difference-maker at receiver.”

13. San Francisco — CB Joe Haden, Florida: (Matt Maiocco, Santa Rosa Press Democrat) “The 49ers need help in the secondary, and their corners aren’t great. Haden would be a good pick at a high-profile position of need.”

14. Seattle — RB C.J. Spiller, Clemson: (O’Neil) “Seattle is one of four teams not to have a 1,000-yard rusher in any of the past four seasons. Spiller would be an instant upgrade at the position.”

15. New York Giants — DE Jason Pierre-Paul, South Florida: (Ralph Vacchiano, New York Daily News) “He’s a freakish athlete, and the Giants have some uncertainty at the position, especially with Osi Umenyiora unhappy.”

16. Tennessee — DE Derrick Morgan, Georgia Tech: (Jim Wyatt, The Tennessean) “The Titans are in desperate need of an impact player at the position after losing Kyle Vanden Bosch in free agency.”

17. San Francisco — T Anthony Davis, Rutgers: ( Dan Brown, San Jose Mercury News) “The 49ers sorely need offensive-line help, and Mike Singletary’s presence will help allay concerns about Davis’ character.”

18. Pittsburgh — G Mike Iupati, Idaho: (Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) “The Steelers need to start getting some studs on their offensive line, and Iupati certainly is that. He’s a safe pick for them.”

19. Atlanta — OLB Sean Weatherspoon, Missouri: (D. Orlando Ledbetter, Atlanta Journal-Constitution) “With Mike Peterson turning 34, the Falcons need a run-and-hit linebacker who’s adept in coverage to eventually take over.”

20. Houston — S Earl Thomas, Texas: (Jerome Solomon, Houston Chronicle) “The Texans really need some help in the secondary, and Thomas has the type of ball-hawking skills they could use.”

21. Cincinnati — TE Jermaine Gresham, Oklahoma: (Joe Reedy, Cincinnati Enquirer) “Tight end is a real weakness for the Bengals. They need a guy who can both block and stretch the field.”

22. New England — OLB Sergio Kindle, Texas: (Karen Guregian, Boston Herald) “Kindle fits the physical prototype the Patriots like for an OLB/DE. They also like Michigan’s Brandon Graham.”

23. Green Bay — CB Patrick Robinson, Florida State: (Bob McGinn, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) “ Al Harris is 35 and coming off reconstructive knee surgery; Charles Woodson is 33. Robinson fills a real need.”

24. Philadelphia — CB Kyle Wilson, Boise State: (Jeff McLane, Philadelphia Inquirer) “With Sheldon Brown gone to Cleveland, the Eagles need a cornerback who can step right into the starting lineup.”

25. Baltimore — DT Jared Odrick, Penn State: (Jamison Hensley, Baltimore Sun) “The Ravens need youth on the defensive line, and Odrick would fit right into their 3-4 scheme.”

26. Arizona — DT Dan Williams, Tennessee: (Kent Somers, Arizona Republic) “The Cardinals have been searching for a 3-4 nose tackle ever since Ken Whisenhunt arrived. They need somebody who can hold the middle.”

27. Dallas — T Charles Brown, USC: (Clarence Hill, Fort Worth Star-Telegram) “Without Flozell Adams, the Cowboys have a hole at the position. Brown not only fills an area of need, but he fits in that draft slot.”

28. San Diego — RB Ryan Mathews, Fresno State: (Jay Paris, North County Times) “LaDainian Tomlinson is gone, and the Chargers have a void at running back. They’ll hope to get Alabama DT Terrence Cody in the second.”

29. New York Jets — DE Brandon Graham, Michigan: (Rich Cimini, New York Daily News) “One of the problems the Jets had on defense was they had to blitz a lot of guys to get pressure. They need a pass rusher.”

30. Minnesota — CB Devin McCourty, Rutgers: (Judd Zulgad, Minneapolis Star Tribune) “Depth at corner is a problem for the Vikings, who have had health problems at the position. They really like McCourty.”

31. Indianapolis — DT Brian Price, UCLA: (Mike Chappell, Indianapolis Star) “The Colts failed in their attempt to get better on the defensive line last offseason. The bid continues this year.”

32. New Orleans — OLB Jerry Hughes, TCU: (Mike Triplett, New Orleans Times-Picayune) “Hughes might be a tweener for a 4-3 defense, but defensive coordinator Gregg Williams will find a way to fit him in.”

sam.farmer@latimes.com

twitter.com/LATimesFarmer

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